Cut through the verbiage, and that's the charge made against Linux by the Gartner Group.

Desktop Linux is really just a dodge to get a stripped-down PC that will actually run a pirated copy of Windows, the research group said. (Image from the CPFC.)

It really puts all those stories about Microsoft creating cheap, stripped versions of Windows for foreign markets in a different light. Better we get something and give them a chance to advance something for us in their local language than we get nothing.

What about all those governments that talk about running Linux, and all those politicians praising the penguin?

Gartner has an answer:

"Linux on the desktop may be generating a lot of publicity, but there are very few large-scale dedicated Linux deployments," the firm stated. "Governments in several European countries have announced plans to migrate to Linux, but most of these projects are in the evaluation phase."

When charges have been made against Linux in the past the Linux faithful have rushed to the operating system's defense. These could be an interesting few days. But if you don't hear anything, remember, you've heard everything. The dog that does not bark can be the key Clue.